Passenger goes viral for list of rules for plane travel – which are you guilty of breaking?
A PASSENGER has gone viral after creating a list of etiquette rules that he says people should stick to when flying.
One of the worst aspects of air travel is having to deal with other passengers, with everyone having different expectations about what is and isn’t acceptable on board planes.
That’s why Tiktoker and frequent flyer Ben Keenan (@ivebentraveling) made a long list detailing how people should and shouldn’t act whenever they travel.
In a video he shared, he told people how they should treat flight attendants, the gross things they should never do and how you should behave when you’re in your seat.
Flight attendants
Firstly Ben explained why passengers should always be courteous and nice to their flight attendants, particularly when they board the plane, explaining how it could even affect their safety.
He said: “At the very bare minimum, you need to be greeting the flight attendants at the beginning of the plane.
“Because guess what? Not only are they not paid for that time that they’re going to be standing there, but they’re also looking for able bodied individuals that can help during an emergency.
“And guess whose rude a** is not going to be on that short list? If it comes to it, your life could be in my hands, so you better shape up.”
Being inconsiderate
Ben considers certain behaviour on board planes to be inconsiderate, including removing shoes and socks and changing babies in the seats.
He said: “Do not take off your shoes or socks when you’re sitting in your seat. You disgusting people.
“And while we’re at it, I shouldn’t have to say this, but I feel like it’s necessary for some of you, you are not going to change your baby’s diaper in the seat either.
“There’s a changing table in the bathroom for a reason.”
Seat selection
The seats that passengers choose can not only affect their own journey, but other people’s too – particularly if people like to sleep.
Ben explained why aisle passengers need to stay awake.
He said: “When the flight attendants are coming around with the drink carts, make sure your elbows, feet, knees, head, everything are out of the way.
“The flight attendants are trying to get through, and they shouldn’t have to ask you more than once.
“When selecting your seat before the flight, go ahead and determine what type of flyer you are. Are you someone that sleeps or are you someone that’s awake?
“Because if you’re in an aisle seat, you need to be prepared to stand up and move out of the way multiple times during that flight.
“And I know this sucks, but that truly means you should not be a sleeper.”
Seat Reclining
One of the main issues that arises between two passengers on board planes is to do with reclining seats.
Lots of people have different ideas about when passengers should and shouldn’t put their seats back during a flight.
Ben’s claims the rules are: “If you’re going to recline your seat, go ahead and make sure that the people behind you aren’t resting their head on your seat or using that tray table.
“Because do you know how many times I’ve been smashed in the head by somebody who just aggressively leans back?”
Smelly food
Stinking out the cabin with poor food choices is something that passengers often do – because they haven’t thought about how their meal choices will affect others.
Ben said: “The general rule of thumb is if it has an odour to it, it has absolutely no business being in a giant metal tube sailing across the sky.”
Headphones
Two women were recently slammed for not using headphones when listening to music during a flight.
Ben said of that behaviour: “I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, headphones are mandatory for you and your children.”
Landing etiquette
There are two things that annoy Ben when his flights come in to land – clapping and people standing up.
He said: “When the plane finally lands, there are just two rules you need to follow.
“One, we’re not clapping. And two, we’re not standing immediately because guess what? Even though your knees hurt, so do the rest of ours, and we have to wait till we get to the actual gate.”
Ben’s video has been seen more than 340,000 times, with a lot of people even thanking him the list.
One wrote: “Thank you so much because I’m taking my first flight next week, so I really appreciate this.”
Another said: “People who don’t use headphones on planes especially for kids are the worst!”
A third added: “As a flight attendant, thank you!”
Meanwhile this passenger sparked a debate on Reddit after refusing to swap seats with a woman and her disabled partner.
And this mum revealed how she gets passengers to swap seats without causing any problems during a flight.